Adjusting mechanism.



C. W. THOMAS.

ADJUSTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 12. 1918.

1,300,047, Patented Apr. 8,191.9.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. W. THOMAS.. ADJUSTING MECHANISM.

\ APPLICATION FILED JUNE I2, 1918.

Patented Apr. 8,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2' M14, ATTORNEYS C. W. THOMAS.

ADJUSTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 19181 1 5300,0 17, Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ATTORNEY;

C. W. THOMAS. ADJUSTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED sum: I2, 1918.

' Patented Apr. 8,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 v L( z M To all whom it may concem ,Beit known that I, CHARLES:VVVTHQMAS,

a citiz en of the United States; residing at useful Improvements in Adjusting Mechanisms;andI do hereby declare the follow; a

ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Wlll enable others skilled in the art to which. it appertains' t9- inake and use the same. a

The present invention relates to adjustin'g mechanisms, and is applicable generally to V geometrical, and surgical instruments and the like, and to such othertools and implements as comprise a pair of jaws or members, at least one of Which is tobe moved toward and from the other, both to -eflect an initial "rough adjustment and a second; or

fine adjustment. This is the case in com passes, boW pens and pencils,jcalipers and other measuring and drafting instruments, in dilators and the; like,- and in wrenches and similar tools, inall of which implemeiits either or both of the aws, legs, or equiva j lentpartsior members are adjusted inv the" manner indicated above.

an improved adjusting mechanism] which shall be capable of efifectingthe two adjust ments aforementioned, irrespective of :the

classfortype of instrument to which, it may be applied; and which shall: be readily and quickly operated, s mple n construct on and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

, The invention maintainsythe same general; construction for all types. of instruments to which it, is applicable bntgis, of course, sub: 1 ject to slight changesjinitsustructural dc-f tails to conform tothe individual types, In any case, however, -it preferably embodies athreaded, rotatable adjusting member or screw, and a pivoted or similarly mounted controlling member which has a normal frictional engagement With the threaded adjusting member in such a manneras to preclude rotationthereof incidental to quick or coarse adjustment, While still permitting-fine adjustment but WhlCh lS releasable from; such, engagement, for the purpose of effecting coarse adjustment,

Various for take in practice, are illustrated in the acs which the invention may AnJusTInGMncIfiAnrs I or 1 fcorresp ontlil g parts and y features are. designated by similar reference"; numerals Figures "l and 2 are front tion, shown as applied'to a pairof calipers,

and sideele tartionjs, respectively of i one form of the inven- Figs. 3 and; 4 are.:enlargeditdetail views, a V partly.in section, 0ftheadjusting mechan.-= v 1 ism, showing the controlling' ,1nember,1inits- I normal. and released positions; respecti tfely;

Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a similar section 01111116" 6f, .6, Fig.4.-. a Fig. 7 is? a 'fragmental, detailwsection' of in section, vof the controlling member em bodiedin the modificationshown. in Eigm; .10. Figs 12 and 18' are: fragmental' views of a .furthermodificationsjj v a 1 a,

, F g, 14 a View showing, 21-,modified-form r (if-bearing for one end ofthe threaded ads; It is an object of the invention to provide 7 V justingimember,

tiona imodificatioms showing theyadjusting sciwWPEQVidedwith both highfand low pitch threads.

Figs; 16 15018 of the; jad usting mechanism represented in tions assumed thereby;

vFig'fl 15; sl '1owing the extreme and mean posi-v detail's,j partly in erticalsecti'on, ofstill; l further; imodificationsof details of the adI-l' justing 'mechanism. V

Figs. 28 and 29am? enlargedidetai-l views of the ad usting mechanlsm as thus app1ied, show ngfthe, controlling member in its nor-;'.

mal and released positions, respectivelya Fig. ;1 5is a front eleyation df a-n addi i o l q l arezenlarged sectional views a Figs. 30- and '31 are transversesections T "-Referriiigniore particularly theldraw- I ings, the 1improved; adjusting mechanism; is, shown in Figs. ;1 to, 25 as applied-to ia pairq tak'en, ,respectively, on .L lines 330 and f,,31

oficallipersfl; though it may, of course, bein- 60, if v corporated with equal facility, in any of the other types or characters of instruments above indicated. The calipers are, or may be, of conventional form, and comprise a pair of legs or members l and 2, pivoted 1 together at 3 in the usual manner adjacenttheir upper ends, and having their terminals .engaged, beyond said pivot, by a spring 4.

The latter presses inward the said terminals or upper extensions of the members 1 and 2 and, hence, constantly tends to spread apart their bowedlo-wer portions, this holding true for alilforms of the'invention as illustrated in the figures mentloned. In such instance,

there is a movement of both members, as

will be apparent; but it is to be understood that the actual movement may be limited to by the controlling member to prevent its' rotation and the consequent coarse adjustment of the movable jaw or jaws, but is releasable to permit such adjustment, additional means being provided inconnection with the adjusting member to enable fine adjustments to be eflectedwhile the controlling and adjusting members remain engaged. V I

In the construction represented in Figs. 1 to 6, the adjusting member, generally designated 5', consists of a transversely-disposed rod or, screw provided with high-pitch member, through which itpasses and which I threads of any suitable type, including those of the so-called VVhitworth type depicted in Fig. 7. This screw is carried by a lug 6, which is pivoted to one of the legs of the instrument, in this instance the lefthand leg 1, at the point of intersection of the straight and bowed portions of the leg, so as to enable thelug to turn upon its pivot and 'thusaccommodate itselfto the changing angular relationsof said screw, the lug having acentral perforation through which the reduced end of the screw passes. The portionof the-screw end beyond or to the left of thelug is threaded, and has fixed upon it a thumb-piece or cap 7, the purpose of which will be stated fully hereinafter. The screw is mounted to rotate in itscarrier 6, but is normally held against such rotation 'by means of the aforementioned controlling 1 is here shown as in the form of a nut 8,

mounted'in and carried by a rocking lever 9, pivoted ona stud 10 set into the rightlever 9, the latter normally occupying a leftwardly-inclined position due to the pressure imposed upon it by a spring 11 which is coiled around the pivot 10 and bears against the lever. (Figs. 3, 4, and 5). In

consequence, the tilted or inclined position of the nut will cause its thread to bind against the screw in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, with the result that rotation of the screw is checked and the legs 1 and 2 are held in the position which they happen to occupy.

When adjustment is necessary, assuming that itis desired to reduce the span'of the legs, the free ends of the latter are pressed slightly toward each other, thereby causing an initial movement of the adjusting screw 5, to the right, with the result that the lever 9 is pushed in the same direction into a position in which it is substantially perpendicular to the screw, as indicatedin Fig. l. During this movement of said lever, the nut 8 is carried out of its tilted or inclined position, so that its thread no longer binds against the threads on the screw. Continued pressure upon the legs will then probined action of the springs 4 and 11. It

will be observed, however, that the adjustment thus effected is of a comparatively coarse nature, due to the steepness of the threads of the screw. Consequently,means is provided, enabling fine adjustments to be made either at the completion of the first adjustment, or in lieu thereof if only a very slight change in span is needed. Such means preferably consists of the afore-mentioned cap or thumb-piece 7, which, as previously stated, is fastened to the screw, and, when turned in one direction or the other, will produce a slow or gradual rotary movement of the screw which can be carried out even while the nut and screw remain in binding engagement.

When it is desired to spread the legs apart, a slight pressure against the lever 9 causes it to move from the inclined position which is shown in Fig. 3 to the substantially-perpendicular one inwFig. 4, thus re-.

leasing the threaded adjusting member or screw as before. The spring 4 then acts through the legs to spin or turn the screw, and a greater span is the result. Releasing the pressure on the lever causes the nut 8 to reengage the screw, as above explained, and

Cir

thereby terminates Iits rotatbn. Fine a dj ustinents' may then be made byturmng' cap;

7. in the proper direction v The same principles re p construction illustrated in: Figs.l,8 to 11;,h1it in Fig. 8 the thumb-piece is located on the' end of the screw nearest the leggwhich car ries the lever,while in Figs. and II/the" clamping orbinding action, instead of be-, ing exerted' directly .upon the threads of a the screw by an internally-threaded nut, is

imposed upon the'pl ain or unthreadedrreduced end,l2 of ."the screw, which al-' ternatively engaged and disengaged iby the opposite edges of an opening 13 formed through the lever, as clearly shown in Fig. 11. The controlling member maybe pivot-7; ally mounted either on the right-hand leg,

as in the first constructiong(Fig. 8), oron the thumb-piece or cap 7 maybe located inter; mediate the ends of the screw, lnstead' of being fixed to one end thereof,-in which in-;'

stance the two portionsof the screw will be reversely threaded, as indicated at 17 and; 18 (Fig. 9), the left-handportion 17 extend--v ing through the pivoted nut 14 whilecthe right-hand 130113101118 passes I isengaged. by a tiltable clamping nut 19 car ried by the'leveri In this construction, the fine adjustments,"jwhen, necessary, can be,

made with onehand. g a a i I n In the modification shown in Fig.12," the lever is omitted, and'the controlling-111cm ber consists solely of a pivotednut. 20, which is acted on by a, spring 21tending'tonormally engage itfwith the threads of; the screw.

The pivotal axis of the nutinthis form in;

tersects the axis of the screw, and the latter is rotated to effect. rapid adjustments by means of the thumb-piece 7 which 1s 10- instrument is "to force the bow jportionsof the two members 1, and "2 from each other,

due to the fact that theterminals of the spring are engaged with theendsf of said? members above the main pivot 3. It-1s po's-" sible, however, to reverse this arrangement,

and utilize the spring to; normally force to gether the bow portions'of themembersv l' and 2, in which case, as represented in 'Fig." --'ures, the aforesaid ad 26- remains; com I away in contact. with the thumblpiecenthe l "stem of which is exteriorly threaded, so; that {itwill move'in one direction of: the

13, the ends of the spring will engage the said members below the pivot,

Figs. 15, to 18' show a further modlfication in which the screw is providedboth', with the steep or'high pitch threads shown and involved 'in i the,

through and .7

f The fctinstructions' depicted Figs. 19; 20 and 21 are variations 7 or developments' of; g 1' thelar'rangement shown in Fig, 15; t lligti v p cated tothe right'of and near ,to thearm 1.5. p In all of the form'sthusfar described,v the I g that fits fmilled body portion124 lies at the tendency of the springt atthe topgof thei inner sfideof and close to; the left-hand leg in the'colis'truction' represented" in. Fig '12; and in FigsLZO and 2 1 the reduced por- 'ftioni '28";othe screw; is fplain, insteadf -'of,

threaded, the thumb' piece being arranged reversely in Fig." '21 from its showing 'in l fib iliiIi LCOfmection with for'ins pre viouslyldiscussed, Zandtiwith a reduced pjoi ti'on t'haifingrglow pitchv thread? hereon." 1 I rl ijligiii; 5 9111 0111 threads ceoepeirete with then r. nut8-andits carrier'lever 9 inithe same way asgin the construction illustrated :infFigs. 1 1;, l u to 6,; butthe portion22with thelow-pitch; threads .rhasffitted :on :it j' a' cap or thumbpieo 23,; the body 24 of'whichis hollowed 01 dishedwhile its stem-25l hasia threaded axialp a passage through which the reducedpqrti V 22 extends, said portion 22 terminating at its freefeiid in an enlargement or head" 26. iTh e'l lugl-27fwhicli issimilarfto the-part f 8U ina circumterentialgroove or recess'id tha sitionsjoftheparts justdescribed. In Figz v 15, thehead 26 fis in contact with the inside Figs; to 18 show -ther three ihainrpogl I in surface of-the dishedpr hollowed-foutabody 1-- portio'ii', 21 of the thumb-pie ce 23, so that a l rightward movement pi-x, the, lever Q9, inoi-.

dentaltoflosingthelegs of theiinstrument a0 will revolve the screw, the latter moving to the left while the thumhpiece remainssta; tionary. Fig lZ shows. the extremejposi tion which the screw assumes in'its leftward,

movement, theshoulder, formed by the;v pro duction gfthe reduced portion 22 contacting V with the body 241,. and when theparts in I this position, thecloSing of the jawsrevolves,

the-screw which (movesltoa the right and f rocks' tlie l ever in the same; directiomthe Q the screw; while the head26 1s causedto ap-z unit; I 8 moving with. the, lever and releasing 'proachthe inside wall 'of th'e bc'i'dyQQl: of the thumh- 'piece. In EigillS, the head 26 Zoocupies alposition intermediate the positions I shown inJFigs..16- and 1T,-reachingthis a; 105 "sition from either'ofthetwo extremefpo f sitions represented'intthe figures just specie i 1 t .fied.= In allofthese position s finer adjustiinents can be made by turningth'efthuinbr vi V i I Figl 20; so Tthat; the head 26 contacts with other; through the, threaded partor nut 29,

w red n ne w swede or part 27 seats in a circumferential sired fine adjustments of the screw. The thumb-piece shown in Fig. 19 is solid,'instead of b'eingdished, and the pivoted lug groove in'its stem, as in theconstruction indicated in Figs. 16 to 18 l Figs. 22 to 25 show still further variations or developments. of constructions previously discussed. Thus, in Fig. 22, which. is a modification of Fig. 9in so far as it is intended toinclu de a lever and tiltable clampingnut of the type therein indicated, the thumb-piece is mounted on the low-pitch threadedportion 31 of the screw and extends beyond the left-hand leg or member 1. InFigs. 23.and.24, two separate thumb:

pieces-,designated :32 and 33 are employed threaded stem 34,. which located at the outside of for effecting coarse and fine adjustments, the arrangement in one case being the reverse of that in the other. Thus, in Fig. 23, the thumb-piece 32 for efiecting coarse adjustments, is secured to the reduced portion 28 of the screw outside of the legor member 1; while the other thumb-piece 33 which is used for fine adjustments, has an exteriorlypasses through the threaded opening in the pivoted nut 29; whereas in Fig. 24:, the thumb-piece 33 is the member 1 and is formed with. an eXteriorly-threaded stem 35. The inner thumb-piece in both instances is confined between the outer thumb-piece and the shoulder formed at the junction of 1 f the high-pitch portion of the screw and its 'reducedtportion or extension 28, said portion being represented in Fig. 24,- as equipped with a terminal head. I

. The construction shown in F ig.' 25' em bodies the formation of the nut and thumbpiece, designated, respectively 36 and 37 integral with each other, the clamping action being obtained similarly to that'described inconnection with Figs. 10 and 11. H In Figs; 26 to 31, the invention is represented as. incorporated in a wrench, in which 38 and 39 indicate, respectively, the fixed and'movable jaws, and 4L0 the shank. The movable jaw shifted toward and from the fixed .jaw by means of an adjusting mechanism which, as in the other forms of the invention, comprises a threaded rod or screw 41 journaled in a lug or bracket 42 on theshank 40, a thumb-piece 43 secured to said screw and a pivoted controlling member 44'. The last-mentioned part is mounted in a recess 45 in the movable jaw, and is here shown as having the form of an angular lever, the outer arm of which is enlarged or widened at its extremity to provide a finger-piece 4:6,while the inner arm is furnishedwith a transverse opening 47 for the passage of the screw 41 therethrough, this opening having; an internal thread 48 similar'to'that of the'nut 8.. The lever 44:18 normally held in tilted position by means of V pivoted controlling with the form represented in Figs. 1 to 6.-

When a. relatively coarse adjustment becomes necessary, it is merely necessary to depress the-finger-pieoe to into the position shown in Fig. 29, whereupon the binding engagement between the thread +18 and the screw will be broken, and the screw may be rotated freely in either direction by means of its thumb-piece 43.

It will be seen, therefore, that the operation of the improved adjusting mechanism as applied, for example, to a wrench, is practically identical with that described above in connection with the calipers; and the same holds good of course, when the said mechanism is incorporated in the several other types of instruments and the like referred to at the commencementof the specification. Further description of the invention, its mode of operation and its advantages is considered unnecessary in'vlew of the foregoing, and is, accordingly, omitted; but it is to 'be understood that parts of the invention, as shown and described, may be used without others, and in other and different environments.

I claim as my invention 1'. The combination, with a pair of cooperating members, at least one of which is movable toward and from the other; of an adjusting mechanism for controlling such movement, comprising a rotatable adjusting element carried by a pivoted controlling element having a nor mal frictional engagement with said adjusting element to prevent coarse adjustment of the movable member, but releasable to permit such adjustment.

2. The combination, with a pair of cooperating members, at least one of which is movable toward and from the other; of an adjusting mechanism for controllin such movement, comprising a rotatable ad usting clement carried by one of said members, a

element having a normal frictional engagement with said adj usting element to prevent coarse adjustment of the movable member, but releasable to permit such adjustment, and means connected to rotate said adjusting element while so movable member.

one of said members, and

3. The combination, with a pair of cooperating members, at least one of which is movable towardand from the other; of an adjusting mechanism for controlling such movement, comprising a rotatable ad usting element having engagement with one of said members, and a t1ltable controlling-element having a normal engagement with said adusting element to check rotation of the same, but releasable to pernnt free rotat on thereof.

4. The combination, with a pair of "co-1 operating members, at least one of wh ch 1S movable toward and, from the other; of an:

adjusting mechanism for controlling such movement, comprising a threaded adjusting element having engagement with one of said members, and a tiltable controlling element having a normal frictional engagement with the threads of said adjusting element to check rotation of the latter, but releasable from one another to check rotation of said adjusting element, but releasable from such engagement to permit its free rotation.

6. The combination, wi h a pair of co operating members, at least one of which is movable toward and from the other; of an adjusting mechanism for controllin movement, comprising a rotatable ad usting element having engagement with one of said members, and a controlling element formed with a transverse opening through which said adjusting element extends; said controlling element being tiltably mounted to engage said adjusting element at diametri-v cally opposite points in consequence of its passage through said opening, so as to check rotation of said adjusting element, but re-v leasable from such engagement to permit its free rotation.

7. The combination, with a pair of booperating members, at least one of which is movable toward and from the other; of an adjusting mechanism for controlling such movement, comprising a threaded adjusting element rotatably connected with oneof said members, and a controlling element formed with j a transverse opening throughwhich Copies of this patent may be obtained for such lingelement. v

said adj us'ting, element [extends said icontrolling jelement being tiltably mountedlto j frictionally, engage the threads of said ad justing; {element at diametrically opposite a points n consequence of its "pass'agethrough' said open ng, *so asto check rotation of said,

adjustingelement, but releasable from such engagement to permit its'freerotationl f o a "8; The combination, With a pair 015,007; operating members, at least one of which movable toward; and-'fromthe other; of an adjusting mechanism for controlling such movement, comprising a? threaded adjusting element rotatably connected with one o fsaid members and having threads'ofhigh pitch,

and a controlling element having a normal engagement with said threads at diametrically" opposite points to check rotation of said adjusting element, but "tiltable out' 0t such engagementto permit its free rotation. 9. The combination, with 'a'pairof-cd operating members, at least one of which is movabletoward and from the other;'of an adjusting mechanism for controlling such movement, comprising a threaded adjusting element rotatably connected with one ofsaid -members and having thr'eads of high pitch, and a controlling element having a normal 7 engagement with said threads at diametrically opposite points to check rotation of said adjusting element, but tiltable flout of such engagement to permit its free rotation and means for imparting slow, gradualro tation Qof adjusting element while Zengaged by said controlling element. '10. The combinatiom with a pair of coadjusting 'mechanism :for controlling such element rotatably connected with one-of said members and having threads of high pitch, and a controlling element having a normal J 'movement, comprisingathreaded adjusting a f v engagement withsaid threadsat 'diametri cally opposite'points to check rotation of, said adjusting element, but tiltable out. of such'engagement topermit its free "rotation,

and athumb-piece connected to said Tad-justi ing element toenable a slow, gradual "rota-"q tion thereof; while engaged by said fcontrol f a k j i o v J 5105 In testimony whereof I aifix mv signature'.

1 f ems. w: THOMAS;

five c en ts each, by addressing the fflommissioner of intents, Washington, D. 0." i I i v,

operatingmembers, at least one of which is i movabletoward "and from the other; of an 

